To the Publishers of the Boston Evening Post, Plese to put
this following, in your next Print.

I Arnt book larnt enuff, to rite polytly, as the great gentlefolks,
that rite in the News-Papers, about Pollyticks. I think it is
pitty, they should know how to rite so well, saving they made
better use out. And that they might do, if they would rite about
something else. They do say we are a matter a million of money
in det. If so be the matter be so, I dont see but the Cunstibles
must dragg two thirds on us to goal, for our land & housen
and creeturs wont pay tacksis, without ther is muney to sell them
for. An I am shure ther arnt haff a million of muney amongst us.
An now the war is done, we cant bring in any more amungst us.---In
the war time I could sell my fatt ocksen, and sheep, and every
thing I could raise on my place, for a pretty good round price
in muney. So that the war did me some good, 'tho' I lost by it
two of my sons, as stout young fellows as ever took a man by the
shoulders. But now I cant sell any thing, because nobody has no
muney hardly. And they do say that amost all the muney folks can
rake and scrape, is sent away by water to buy Corn and Hemp and
such like, besides that that is sent to buy fine cloths. As to
finery gentlefolks may do what they ples, for we cant make um
so fine here as they bring um from Lunnun. But I know we can raise
as good Ingean corn here as they can in Virginny, and as good
Wheet as they can in Connetticut, and folks say we could raise
as good Hemp, as they raise in any part of the world. And if so
be, this be true we might raise anuff amongst us, to send to Lunnun
to pay for our fine cloths; for they do say, it fetches a nation
price, and they want abundance of it ther, about ther shipping,
but no body amongst us nows how to raise it.

What I'me ater is, to get some great gentleman, who has been
to Old England, and knows how they raise Hemp there, and can read
books about it, and understand um, to print in your News, some
direckshon, about it, that we may go to trying, for we cant afford
to run venters, by working, may be, a month and then have nothing
come of it for want of working right.---I'le affirm it, a little
short piece in the print, no bigger tha these few lines I send
you at this present riting, if it did but tell us how to raise
Hemp, how to fitt our land and seed, how and when to sow it, how
togather the crop and when, and how to dress it, and suck like
would do a thousand pounds worth of good.

Seems to me folks must have a queer kind of souls to lov to
study, to fling dirt and play hide and seek in the News, better
to walk or ride about the country, in good weather, and study
like King Solomon, the Herbs from the Cedar of Lebanon to the
Hysop in the wall. I'le avouch it I've took more delight in looking
upon a bunch of leeves, or blossoms, or sprigs of grass for two
hours togehter, to see how nice & pretty it is made, than
I ever did last winter, or spring in reading any of them scolding
pieces in the News, and yet tho' I want bro't up to College I
love to reed.

I wonder why folks will rite so as they do in the News, they
make amost all the world hate um for it,whereas I'le say it they
could make every body love um if they would rite about farming,
and teech country folks how to pay their rates by rasing hemp
and such like. For it would be strange, if we in a land of light
were not as good as Heathens, and I've seen it in a sermon book,
that they that worshipt, even arter he was dead, that man that
taut um how to use Grapes, and tother to that taut um how to sow
corn and such like. Thes Pagans were fools to worship um, tho
it shows that they lov'd and honoure'd the man that did um good,
which we Chrichans dont always do, tho I hope most of us should.-
Sum of our ministers say that none of thes heathens are fav'd,
which I cnat hardly beleeve.

I do say that our great knowing rich men cant answr it to a
good conshence, if they dont take sum panes and spend sum muney
too, to learn us little ignorant poor folks how to pay our rates,
and get a living, dont they remember the parable of the Talents?--besides
we have work'd hard and lost our sons and brothers in the war,
to defend them in hole skins, and got so far in det that we cant
pay saving they contrive sum way for us.---I wonder whether they
ever sit alone and medetate.---If they did their bowels would
yerne toward us.---I sit up sumtimes till 12 a Clock at night
thinking about myself and Naibours our land and stock and rates,
and about war, and about my too dear sons, one of um died of a
camp fever, and tother was skalp'd by the Ingeans, till my hart
is ready to burst and my eyes run over. I'm shure if I had as
much larning, books and time to spaer from my labor, with my poor
abillitys, thos I say it, I could find out 20 ways of teeching
mankind things they want to know, and helping um pay their dets
and live comfortable.

Good Mr. Elliot did rite sumthing once about farming, but not
enuff about Hemp.---I see his book tother day, poor man he's ded
now, but our loss is his gain.---I red a good deel in his book,
and like it extrordinary well. I wish I had one of um. I suppose
I could get onefor haff a dolar. I think I'le leeve off tacking
a News papers for haff a yeer, and bye one, and in haff a yeer
I hope the News will get cleer again of so much wicked langage,
and ripping and rending of one grate man agenst another! There's
sundry leeves at the end ont, put out by a fine man, folks say
I know him, I've seen him ride by my house, and thos I durst not
speek to him yet I'm a fool for it, for they say he's a nice good-natur'd
free Gentleman, yet I love him for the pains he has took to make
folks didtch their meadows, and sow Wheet and Hemp and such like.

I do say it would be nice thing if we could raise enuff Hemp
to pay our rates, and bye a little rum and shuger, which we cant
well do without, and a little Tea, which our Wifes wont let us
have any peace without.

I've been as long as a sermon amost, so I wont rite no more
at present. Sumbody put a lettur of mine into the print tother
day that I was asham'd to see there, so I wanted to let the world
know I could if I try'd both spell and word a lettur, abundance
better than that was, and I have told um sum things they would
do well to think on, when they go to bed and when they get up,
if their Wifes dont pester um too much. So I remain yours to sarve.

Humphrey Ploughjogger

P.S. Seems to me if grate Men dont leeve off writing Pollyticks,
breaking Heads, boxing Ears, ringing Noses and kicking Breeches,
we shall by and by want a world of Hemp more for our own consumshon.

=-=-=-=-=--

The above article contributed by Steven Epstein,
Esq., a founder of Mass Cann and its Clerk and Treasurer.

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